Tom Lea was a realist who painted things as they are, but just happened to see more of what they are than most of us do. A muralist, painter, book illustrator, World War II artist-correspondent, historian, novelist, and humanist, Lea died in 2001 after creating in some sixty years a corpus of work that has captivated those who know it. This volume makes available the full range of his vigorous work. Old admirers of Lea's talents will delight in this presentation, and a whole new generation will be awed by the unique contribution he has made.

A Southwesterner from multicultural El Paso,...

After unsuccessful attempts at many careers, H. O. "Cowboy" Kelly had little to show except a rich store of memories of an America fast disappearing then and gone today. He translated those memories into paintings of the pleasures and toil of a rural society. The details of Kelly's life are in sharp contrast with his nostalgic paintings, but an irrepressible optimism and humor highlight both the paintings and William Johnson's chronicle of Kelly's life. The result is a charming presentation of nineteenth-century romantic who by accident of fate made himself a niche as artist in...